Steering apparatus



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JESSE S. LAKE, OF SMITHS LANDING, NEV JERSEY.

STEERING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 25,836, dated October 18, 1859.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JESSE S. LAKE, of Smiths Landing, in the county of Atlantic and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Steering- Wheels for Vessels; and I do hereby declare that the `following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specilication, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a com mon wheel, with my improvements. Fig. 2, is a side view of the barrel C, and hub B, with the spokes and plate D removed. Fig. 3, is a side View of the hub B, and shaft E, of the spoke wheel B; also, showing the pin F, and collar O. Said collar O, is colored green wherever shown. Fig. 4 is a side view of the catches I, I, (said catches are colored red wherever shown,) also, showing their braces L L. The said braces are colored yellow wherever shown. Fig.l 5, is an end View of the collar O, showing the grooves S, S, in which the catches I, I, are loosely hooked.

Like letters rfer to like parts.

I make my wheels in any of the known forms.

A A A are the posts and tiller of a steering machine most in use.

B B are the spoke wheel and hub, to which is firmly fastened the shaft E, that passes loosely through the center of the barrel C.

O, is a collar on, or near the outer end of the pin F, and works in the recess H, in the periphery of the barrel C. The collar O, has projections on its upper or outer face, forming teeth V, V, and extending out to near the periphery of the barrel C, as shown in Fig. 3. The hooks on the inner ends of the catches I, I, are pressed against the teeth V, V, by the spiral springs U, U, one end of which presses against the collar O, the other against a shoulder on the catches I, I, the inner ends of said catches lying loose in the grooves S, S, while the outer ends pass through slots in the end of the barrel C, near its periphery, and catch in the teeth of the ratchet wheel J, which will be further explained hereafter.

One end of the braces L, L, are hinged to the catches I, I, the other is hinged, or pivoted, to the barrel C, at X, X. The braces L, L, are so pivoted, or hinged, to the catches I, I, and to the barrel C, that when a strain is on the barrel C, pressing either of the catches I, I, against the teeth of the ratchet wheel J, the points of bearing between the outer end of the catch I, that may be hooked in the teeth of ratchet wheel J, and the end of its brace L, that is pivoted to the barrel C, at X, is nearly on a line.

R R are the axles on which the wheel turns.

P, is a slot cut transversely in the barrel C, in which the pin F, works, allowing the barrel C, to have a vibrating motion on the shaft E, suflicient to draw in the catches I, I. The catches I, I, and collar O, are held in their places by the cap D.

Operation: 7e will suppose the cap D, to be up, and the strain on the barrel C, to be to the larboard; by taking hold of the spokes and turning them to thestarboard, the shaft E, working` loosely in the barrel C, the pin F, collar O, and, in ends of catches I, I, would be carried to the starboard end of the slot P, bringing the starboard catch I, nearly, on a line-with barrel C, which will cause it to project beyond the end of the barrel C, into the teeth of the ratchet wheel J ,--the said starboard catch I slips in by the teeth on ratchet wheel J, as the spokes are turned on to the starboard; but, as the said catch slides in past a tooth on ratchet wheel J, it is thrown out by the spiral spring U, thereby, holding all that is got, without taxing the strength of the man at the wheel. Now if we turn the spokes to the larboard the pin F, collar O, and, in ends of the catches I, I, will be carried to the larboard end of slot P, thereby tripping the starboard catch I,- and the points of bearing between the end of the brace L, at X, and the projected point of catch I, is also changed inward, thereby, causing the starboard catch I, t0 be drawn in with ease, while the larboard catch I, is brought in a line with barrel C, and caused to project beyond the end of said barrel C, into the teeth of ratchet wheel J,-thus by turning the spokes to starboard the starboard catch I, is hooked in the teeth of ratchet wheel J, and by heaving the spokes larboard, the larboar-d catch I, 'is hooked in the teeth of the barrel G, substantially in the manner 10 ratchet Wheel J, thereby making it impos and for the purposes set forth.

sible for the man at the Wheel to be thrown, Y In testimony whereof I hereto subscribe Which is often the case with the common my name in presenceof tWo Witnesses. Wheel' JESSE S. LAKE.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- The arrangement of catches I, I, braces L, L, collar O, pin F, in combination With Witnesses:

DANIEL W. INGERSOLL, JOSEPH H` INGERSOLL. 

